Solyaris is Andrei Tarkovksky's masterpiece but only one among many. It's a subconscious journey through dark, blocked content in one man's life. It's also a film, like Woman in the Dunes, that deals with Existential angst and the real possibility that life could be a solipsism.

Surely other people exist, but the paradox is that we actually create their existence, to ourselves, in our own minds. Truth is very subjective and a lot of the time we interact with our version of others rather than them as they really are. In Solyaris, our projections or our inner experience of others physically come to life and unresolved, unconscious life experiences that we refused to face, now seek resolution. Solyaris is science fiction with a psychological bent that builds slowly and hypnotically.

Tarkovsky is Russia's greatest director and this is probably his greatest film but I also loved The Mirror (aka Zerkalo) - but just about any of his films is worth a viewing.

You can view the entire film here but without subtitles and view some clips here.

Collage by marcellinho:

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